


Colours of the Wind

by tova



Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: 17th Century, Alternate Universe, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-20
Updated: 2015-10-06
Packaged: 2018-04-22 13:30:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4837064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tova/pseuds/tova
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the forests of a new world Captain Smith's younger sister finds herself enchanted by Calliope, the beautiful daughter of Chief Powhatan. (Pocahontas; calzonafied)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A New World

**Author's Note:**

> Reference Note,  
> This story is inspired by Sara's cover of 'Colours of the Wind' and the classic tales of Pocahontas and John Smith. It's referencing the Disney adaption, the film 'The New World’, and historic events and people. It won't stay canon to any of these sources though, it’ll be far less brutal than the reality but obviously much more mature and developed than Disney’s adaption (and Callie obviously won't be twelve years old like Pocahontas was when she met Smith). I’ve also shamelessly stolen some quotes from ’The New World’(watch it, can absolutely recommend it). But most of this fic is pure au, and you won’t have to be familiar with any of these sources to read it, probably not even Grey’s.
> 
> History Note,  
> Having said all of that, I feel the need to highlight that this story won't be historically accurate, it’s a romanticised version of the events. I do want it to feel somewhat believable but I will definitely tweak more facts than I will stay true to. I'll add some footnotes at the bottom of the chapters if I’ve made something wacky up that reads like facts. And feel free to ask me if you’re wondering about any of my sources.
> 
> Culture Note,  
> Also, I’m not native american(swede) and I definitely do not know all there is to know about native american culture, language, heritage or history. I greatly admire what I do know, and I will try my best to write it accurately. This story will mainly be referencing legends and language of the Algonquian Indian tribes, and some of that might not stay entirely true to the Powhatan tribe’s own dialect and culture.
> 
> On the actual colonisation and historic events of the period I want to add that I find the europeans behaviour of this era absolutely disgusting, inhumane and horrible. I don’t want to, nor will I try to, sugar coat any of their actions. This story will only touch on the first two years of the British settlement in Virginia, so it won’t really go into the all the awful stuff that happened later on, but those two first years will be written from both the native's and settler’s perspective. So I want to stress that I really do not wish to offend anyone in any way and I welcome and encourage any feedback on especially this topic. If you feel that what I write is too inaccurate or painting an untrue representation, please let me know.
> 
> Naming Note,  
> Arizona obviously wasn’t a name, ship nor state in the 17th century, so I decided to change her name. And because I’m full of contradictions, I couldn’t bring myself to change Callie’s name. It’s not native american at all, I know, and it sounds wrong in the setting. But I simply couldn’t write a story where Arizona doesn’t call Callie; Calliope. That just seemed silly.
> 
> Chapter 1 Note,  
> There are some heavy establishing of the characters and setting going on here, so I hope that it doesn’t feel tedious to read about all these other characters. I can promise that they’re all important in the grand scheme of things. And that the upcoming parts will focus on Callie and Arizona.
> 
> Beta note,  
> This is unedited, but I would love to have someone beta read this fic since I haven’t really written anything like this in English before. So if anyone is up for it, please let me know :)
> 
> All right, enough excuses.

  
  
Unruly strands of golden hair flowed down her shoulders in delicate waves. Her skin was pale, ivory, as if not yet blessed by the sun. But still it shone in its ray's as if the sun only woke for her.  
  
  She stepped with grace through the woods, a pale blue garment hung like a river down her lithe body. Where did she come from? The sky? The clouds? The sea? Was she a creature of the spirits? Or had she climbed ashore with the loud and rowdy intruders who were taking down the forests? Couldn’t be.  
  
  She felt powerless, unable to tear her eyes away, resist the pull of the beautiful woman.  
  
Taking a silent step further, Callie peered through the bushes.  
  
  


_London, Kingdom of England - September 1606_  
  
  


“Captain Newport, sir. Just one more thing, sir.”  
  
Timothy jogged lightly to catch up to the captain’s brisk pace, their footsteps echoing slightly in the still corridors of Holbourn Court.  
  
“The meeting has been adjourned, Smith. You are expected to start gathering the men,” the captain acknowledged him without looking back nor slowing his stride.  
  
Christopher Newport was a rather intimidating man, not only in physique, or in his superiority, but more so in his many years of experience. Timothy greatly admired the older man. Admired him for his long years as a captain and his many adventures on the wild seas of the west. He had a reputation for being a virtuous leader of high integrity, determination and poise, a renowned and respected privateer. And since the earlier gathering; he was now also Timothy’s commander. Under whom he would serve on their journey to the New World. He was equally as excited as he was terrified.  
  
“Of course, sir. This will just take a moment, sir.”  
  
The older man turned around suddenly to meet him, pulling Timothy to an abrupt stop. He hesitated while the captain studied him expectantly under steel grey eyes.  
  
“I know that we're short of rooms on the ships, sir…” the younger man started, “but my sister, sir, our father has passed, she's still unwed and…”  
  
“There won’t be any women joining the mission,” he said, cutting off the younger man’s rambling bluntly before turning around to continue down the hall.  
  
Timothy quickly followed, “she's very capable, sir, she both reads and writes and is—”  
  
"I do not like to be tested, Smith."  
  
"I do not mean to," he said sincerely. "But she is a good woman. sir. She has great knowledge of both medicine and the new studies of botany, and has treated many illnesses in our borough.”  
  
Newport exhaled in a deep breath. They were to spend many months on the sea and disease was unfortunately a common and strenuous issue. He turned his head towards the younger man, “and does she cook?”  
  
“Yes, more than... moderately well...” the blonde man lied reluctantly before speaking with much stronger conviction. “With all respect, sir, I simply cannot leave her behind.”    
  
The captain pondered his words silently, Timothy held his breath in anticipation.  
  
“Smith, I will grant you this," the older man decided reluctantly, "but I trust this to be the only exception.”  
  
A big grin spread across his face as relief washed over the younger man. "No none, sir! You have my word," he said as he bowed in respectfully gratitude.  
  
The captain gave him a curt nod and continued walking.  
  
"And Smith," he said as he reached the end of the corridor, "you have an opportunity to be a leader once we’ve established on the colonies. It's a great responsibility. I expect both you and your sister to welcome it gracefully."  
  
  


_Virginia, The New World - April 1607_  
  
  


“Wow” Alawa gasped as she gazed at the wild herd; there were at least twenty horses, drinking peacefully by the side of the small riverbank. Coated in various shades of dark chestnut browns, with long jet black manes, the horses were of a particularly stunning breed.  
  
It wasn’t all that uncommon to encounter new herds entering the land, their warriors of had captured and trained many for hunting. But they were still majestic animals to see in the wild. Her sister was especially captivated by the animal, to her, they symbolised the freedom that Callie always seemed to chase.  
  
Alawa looked to the other woman next to her and recognised the excitement shining in her eyes, she knew the look all too well. “Ok Callie, they’re _stunning_... now let us return back home. Father will worry. And we’re supposed to be gathering the crops.”  
  
“What?” Callie looked appalled as she was pulled from her trance. “Don’t be silly Alawa, we just found them,” she said, ignoring her sister’s request as she started climbing down the hillside.  
  
Alawa adored her sister _dearly_ , but her curiosity and spontaneity left them all too often in situations which would turn their father’s usually soft and sympathetic features into an angry scowl. And where responsibility seemed beyond Callie, Alawa preferred to not, continually put her blessings to test. So when Callie had dragged her out of the farmland this morning, speaking animatedly about the herd she had found, Alawa knew this would be one of those days.  
  
Still, she’d never been able to deny her rebellious sister. So she surrendered with a heavy sigh and watched Callie as she gently approached the herd.  
  
  


***  
  
  


“Sister, I come bearing good news!”  
  
Ari stopped reading the journal in her lap to look up at the blonde man hovering in the doorway of their stateroom. He greeted her with a smirk across his features, as he usually did, his eyes shining bright. He looked good, she thought, standing in the extravagant chambers of his ship. His face stubbled and his long ash blonde hair unruly, but otherwise seemingly unaffected by their long journey.  
  
“I don’t know... The last time you said this, Mr. Wittingham was uncovered, dancing pie-eyed along the royal yard.”  
  
“And wasn’t it a majestic sight!” he said, relishing in the memory.  
  
“I wish it could be unseen,” Ari winced, not nearly as impressed as her brother by the seamen’s vices. Thankfully, she had been able to spend most of the months at sea here; below deck, in the privacy of her brother’s chambers, bestowed upon him as the captain of one of the ship.  
  
“This I must doubt. But moving on,” Timothy moved further into the room to try and find a place to sit next to his sister on the bench. The bench which was currently spread with a vast disarray of medical writings. He recognised the florid sigil of ‘Accademia dei Lincei’, the italian scientific society in Rome. His sister was a very intelligent woman, a very messy but intelligent woman.  
  
“Captain Newport is finally satisfied, and has decided to let us all go to sh—”  
  
“Shore? Land? No more water?” she interrupted eagerly.  
  
“No, and—”  
  
“No more constant, infuriating, _nauseating_ rocking of left and right?” punctuating each word and wearing a scowl on her face in memories of her dragging nausea in the stormy waters.  
  
“No, the ground will not move beneath your feet, Ari.” He laughed as she quickly jumped from her seat and started gathering her belongings. “This place Arminell,” he went on as he joined her standing, “We’ll have deep water to the shore... excellent visibility up and down the river... our enemies will have no advantage of surprise! It’s perfect!” Ari turned towards her brother, smiling at his strategic military mind, sounding just like their father. “And, the forests are of the most magnificent greens that you will ever see.”  
  
The young captain couldn’t contain his enthusiasm, they had been searching along the coast for a suitable settlement for days, and was jubilant to finally climb onshore. He started walking backwards towards the door. “Come with, we will pack later. I must show you."  
  
Ari nodded and followed her brother out of their chambers, he quickly lead them up deck where Timothy’s page quickly approached them. “Captain Smith, sir! My lady! The men have found oysters,” the adolescent man exclaimed wildly as he held up his hands in demonstration towards the captain. "They’re as thick as my hands, sir, the size of stones!”  
  
Timothy grinned and lifted one of the clams to show the younger blonde, “And here we’ll live like kings, Sister."  
  
Ari snickered at her brother and continued towards the railings of the ship. She watched the men as they were dismantling the sails and loading off the three ships, carrying their cargo in smaller boats to the shore. Most of the men were already on land, preparing temporary shelters and chopping down the timberwood. Their spirits high, she could tell, by their loud chatter and eager pace. Much like herself, they were weary after the long months at sea and grateful to finally put their foots down on solid ground.  
  
Her gaze continued past the men, taking in the breathtaking, seemingly undisturbed landscape which was covered in forests of evergreens and open meadows, continuing until they met with the tall mountains of the horizon. Timothy didn’t lie, it was truly an astonishing view. The land seemed to go on for miles, and she briefly wondered what lied beyond her sight, up the river. Just how far did this new island reach?

 

***  
  
  


“Alawa! You’re losing again!”  
  
“I’m just not an idiot, like you!”  
  
Callie laughed and held on tighter as her steed leaped over a fallen tree “Yah!” she yelled and relished as the horse galloped even faster. She knew that she'd picked the faster horse.  
  
The other horses of the herd were following Callie’s trail as they galloped through the thick grove and leading them towards the river, where Callie would claim her victory. The adrenaline rushed through her body as her horse steered swiftly in between the tall oak trees, its mane billowing freely in the wind against her face. Alawa wasn’t far behind, but she could count that her sister’s sensibility would slow her down through the hazardous trail.  
  
As she came out of the grove and rode towards the sea loch, strange clouds in the horizon caught her attention, “Alawa, what are those?” she yelled back at her sister as she started climbing up the cliff meeting the river to gain better visibility.  
  
Alawa caught her line of sight and frowned at the strange formations.  
  
Callie, being the first one to reach the top, jumped off of her horse and patted its head absently in praise. Her curiosity lead her closer to the cliff’s peak, forgetting all about their race in the process.  
  
“Boats…” she stated quietly in recognition, though they looked nothing like anything she had ever encountered.  
  
She stood transfixed as she took in the large vessels draped with wide cloths, trying to decipher their origin. Alawa came to stand next to her in silence as they studied the ships and the men climbing on shore.

 

***  
  
  


“...the palisades must be at least 12 foot tall. We will construct a triangular form and raise the cannons on the edges of the fort,” Newport instructed the men as he went over their final draft. “In the morning we will go on to chop down every tree within half a mile of the moorage, and use the straightest limbs for the construction.”  
  
Ari sat patiently beside the small group of men who stood gathered closely around the wooden bench, while fiddling lightly with the pendant hung around her neck.  
  
“Tonight we will sleep aboard our ships, everyone in full armor.”  
  
They had been working on the drafts for the last hour, where the men had vigorously argued over every last component.  She suspected that these new leaders, these so called gentlemen of the colony, simply wanted to make certain that their own beloved voices were heard. As they one by one had thrown empty disputes around. Much rather this in any case, than to participate in any real work of labour taking place just outside the tent.  
  
“He that will not work, shall not eat,” the commander huffed and rolled up the parchment, wanting to close the discussions.  
  
“Sir, when are we to… poke about?” Governour Ratcliffe always spoke with confidence, no matter the company. He was brought along for political duties, and currently second in command.  
  
“We are not here to pillage and raid, Governour. We are here to establish a colony.”  
  
“I’m not afraid of the savages, sir,” Ratcliffe wore a smug smile across his features and winked proudly at Ari.  
  
She tried to answer him a smile, _honestly_ , but it probably looked more like a grimace.  
  
“We must be careful not to disturb the _naturals_ ,” Timothy intervened, clearly agitated by the other man’s lack of tactics, while simultaneously taking an additional step to his right, blocking the governours view of his sister. “Those men that we have not lost on the sea are greatly fatigued already. We need to secure this location before making any enemies. If we must, that is,” even as a soldier, Timothy didn’t believe in unnecessary violence.  
  
“Oh Smith, my dear, you speak with these big, idealistic words,” Ratcliffe seemed naturally condescending of Timothy in particular, the only trained soldier among them, “yet, you’re mere a lowborn son of a—”  
  
“Enough bickering. Smith is right, Gouverneur. No one is to offend the naturals,” the commander spoke conclusively before making his way out of the tent. Smiling kindly at Ari in passing, “Lady Smith,” which she gracefully returned.  
  
The governour mumbled an inaudible curse towards her brother, who eyed him with a surly expression, looking ready to dash for the man at any moment.  
  
Ari studied the two men glaring at one another in rivalry. Ratcliffe was both shorter and lighter than Timothy’s tall and sturdy figure. Though he clearly was a well built man, standing next to her brother he almost looked wiry.  
  
He was handsome, she couldn’t deny him that, his strong dark features elegantly framed by his remarkably well kept, sable brown hair. Which he wore long and neatly arranged in a bun at the nape of his neck. She’d never seen him dressed in anything but expensive attires. Trunk hose pants, flamboyantly decorated waistcoats, french embroideries... often carrying a wide, brimmed hat, trimmed with exotic plumes. His garments represented both his wealth and status unmistakingly, which, she figured, was why her brother had yet to actually jump the man.  
  
Unfortunately, his personality was just as distinctive as his appearance. His brash and presumptuous manners, those Ari loathed.

 

***  
  
  


“That man, Ari. I simply cannot stand him.”  
  
Too focused on fervently searching through their trunks, she only cast him a sympathetic smile as he joined her in their quarters.  
  
Her rushed actions made the other blonde frown slightly. “Going somewhere, Sister?”  
  
“Yes!” she exclaimed promptly as another chest flew open with a thud. “I can finally start mapping the species of the forest. Trace the variety of the trees... look for useful breeds...” she spoke softer now, sounding lost in thought as she went through various books and journals rapidly to find what she would need.  
  
Ari looked up from the documents when he didn’t answer her to meet his teasing eyes.  
  
“Stop that, there must be a natural nutriment which is sufficient to treat this scurvy of the seamen, the ravages can’t be caused by pathogens. And there was this case in Bruxelles; a man with similar flaxen skin was treated with these berries…” she paused, scratching her head, “blackcurrant I believe,” she uttered softly before diving back into the trunks.  
  
This was where he differed from his younger sister. Where he would rely on instincts, she favoured a rational and deliberate approach, preferably backed by scientific documentation. Needless to say that she would enjoy this opportunity for research their circumstances presented to her.  
  
“Very well, go, inspect. But please take this with you as you go,” he held out his flintlock towards her. Ari eyed the gun uncertainly before taking it, “and be safe, Arminell.”  
  
“You needn’t tell me that, Timothy,” she assured him with a dimpled smile before leaving.  
  
She was rather brilliant, his sister, Timothy decided.  
  
“Wait, Sister!” he said, stopping her at the entrance. “Tell me what you think of this island?”  
  
“I will not know, until I have properly greeted it, will I?” she said and left with a wink.  
  
  


***  
  
  


“Callie, let’s go. We should tell father.”  
  
Callie didn’t reply, eyes still locked on the new men with their large ships and strange houses in construction. This was one odd clan.  
  
“Callie!” Alawa raised her voice to get her sister's attention, clearly uneasy by the sight of the intruders.  
  
“Yes, you're right,” Callie finally answered. “You should return, tell father," though she didn't meet her sister's eyes. "I’ll take a closer look.”  
  
“No, Callie, please don’t. We don’t know who these men are.”  
  
“Don’t worry, Alawa," she smiled reassuringly at her sister, “I won’t go further than the ford.”  
  
Alawa agreed reluctantly, climbing back on her horse and quickly taking off in the opposite direction. Callie's eyes followed Alawa’s retreating form as she disappeared into the woods, before turning back towards the unfamiliar men.

 

***  
  
  


Ari stepped mesmerised through the thick forest. Eyes darting rapidly through the terrain while writing expeditiously in her journal, convinced to catch every little detail. Her scribbles no longer neat, but crudely arranged in an attempt to make use of every last bit of canvas. She would have to return for more pages soon, but couldn't bring herself to leave just yet.  
  
As captivating as the plant structure was, making her head spin slightly with all the new information she wanted to grasp, it was the soothing effect of the wilderness that she found herself even more enamored by. A feeling that she barely knew, being raised on the bedraggled and tumultuous streets of London. The forest quiet, but for the soft song of crickets carried in the warm breeze that kept hitting her face pleasantly. She found herself even more surprised to cherish the simple joy of hearing fallen twigs break under her steps.  
  
She came across a shallow stream, where she settled for simply watching the water dance for a moment before shedding her shoes and setting her writings aside. She freed her locks from its tight bun and knelt down. Letting her fingertips run absently through the crisp water before gathering some in her palms to dab over her face. She closed her eyes, the water cool against her warm skin.  
  
A sudden noise broke her reveries as she stood quickly, drawing her gun. "Who is there?" she spoke aimlessly as she rose, before actually looking at her obtruder.  
  
Maybe she shouldn't have, because as she did, as her eyes met the deep brown orbs staring back at her; she lost all her thoughts.  
  
The eyes belonged to another woman, she realised, standing on the opposite side of the beck; she looked startled and seemingly frozen at the blonde’s outburst.  
  
Slightly taller than the blonde. And stately, with her strong and lean figure, which even in its defensive pose looked soft and inviting. She had rich ebony hair, that hung loosely down her back in wild tresses. Her skin was a dark honey, no doubt smooth under touch, Ari thought and flushed when taking in the woman’s light attire. Her chest barely covered by the beaded breastplate that dangled from her wide shoulders, and her legs long and toned under a loosely fitted skirt. Though it looked more like two pieces of tawny cloth to Ari.  
  
Her eyes were the most exceptional thing about her, a dark velvety brown, like black sapphire shining under a fiery auburn light. She decided, as the soft warm eyes held her gaze intently.  
  
Once she realised that her gun was still directed towards the raven haired beauty, she lowered it slowly. The forest encircling them still seemed just as quiet as the night, though Ari couldn't really tell over the heart hammering loudly in her chest.  
  
Without thinking, she inched closer, to where the woman stood still, watching her carefully.  
  
A branch broke under her bare feet, Ari looked down at the sound. And as she lifted her gaze, not a second later, the woman was gone.  
  
Only trees meet her sight.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


_** Wild horses couldn’t be found in Virginia at this time, as far as I know, but I really wanted Callie and her sister to race. I guess I could’ve had them ride some buffaloes... or, elk? But that would’ve been awkward. So, history changed._


	2. Other Tides

  
  
It didn’t take long before a shaken sailor reported sights of wild men in the tall grass, about half a mile up the river from their settlement. The commander took his men and and followed in his direction.  
  
The natives came kindly, in peace, moving timidly out of from the grass to greet them.  
  
The tallest man appeared first, his face and chest painted in muddy colours of black and red, with beaded bones and fur draped all around his rugged figure. He wasn’t a young man, and he looked to have fought vigorously in his life, his features conveying both strength and endurance. He inspected the unfamiliar men with interest before giving a loud screech, a clearing maybe, as more men appeared behind him.  
  
They moved like one with nature and studied the armed men closely, patting and poking cautiously, as if ready to sprint at first sign of danger. Timothy met the hands of the men, letting them curiously study his robes and weapons.  
  
The taller warrior stood still in front of the English commander. He followed their exchange wordlessly with his gaze, like a hawk. Waiting. Assessing. Before he calmly brought his palm up between the two leaders, patting his own chest deliberately before repeating the action of the commander’s.  
  
“ _Nitáp._ ”  
  
  


***  
  
  


Callie's gaze travelled down the inked pages, trying to understand the painted figures and symbols. She couldn’t. The leather covered folio in her hands told her nothing. Some pages were filled with drawings of geometric shapes and lines, and some had smaller more decorative loops and curves, twisting and turning across the canvas in some sort of systematic dance.  
  
While she didn’t understand it, and as frustrating as that was to her, she fought the urge to throw it in anger. She didn’t, because she knew it was important to the white woman.  
  
The strange, beautiful woman in blue, with her golden hair and fair skin.  
  
“What is that?”  
  
Callie almost fell on her back at the sudden voice of her sister, peeling over her shoulder.  
  
“Nothing,” she quickly spun around and hid the treasure behind her back.  
  
“Have you been stealing?”  
  
“No of course not!” her head shook quickly from left to right, and her voice sounded more like the squeal of an animal then her own.  
  
“From the white people?”  
  
“No!” Callie looked awfully aghast at the mere thought.  
  
Alawa narrowed her eyes at her sister’s high tone and frowning face. Her hands obviously still hiding something behind her back. Callie was a _terrible_ liar.  
  
Deciding to let it go for the moment, she rolled her eyes. “I have searched for you, father wishes to see you. The men have returned.”  
  
  


***  
  
  


As she made her way inside the spacious hut of their father, she found that at least sixty men and women had already been gathered. Probably more, but she couldn't see well past the darkness of the room. Lifting her gaze, her eyes met the few delicate rays that shone through its saplings, casting a dim light over the people of their tribe. She recognised some of her younger cousins sitting on the wooden rails of the ceiling, listening intently to the older men’s tales.  
  
The warriors stood huddled together, speaking quietly to their clan. She overheard stories about the white man's tools and weapons, and odd metallic headpieces as she pushed her way through the crowds, following the strong voice of her father who stood alongside the inner walls, surrounded by small flock of women and men.  
  
“Matunaagd tells me that they do not take up arms,” he spoke calmly, as he always did, little seemed to shake the old man. He was the paramount chief of Tsenacommacah, a union of almost thirty encircling tribes. As a much younger man he had only inherited the five neighbourhood tribes. Now, through diplomacy and his strong warriors, he had assembled the entire district. He was well liked and respected among his tribe, and when he spoke, the men and women trusted his words without the shadow of a doubt.  
  
“We are not fear them,” he added with certainty, letting his hand fall to rest on the shoulder of a younger man standing next to him. “They do not know this land and its plants, how to seed or how to grow. And their site is isolated from our hunting grounds, devoid of the bigger animals. When winter comes, they must leave if they do not wish to starve,” he explained, catching Callie’s eye as she joined them. “We shall treat them with respect as our neighbours, not cause them any distress, and they are not to disturb us,” he finished, smiling kindly to his people before he turned back to greet his daughter.  
  
The chief had a hundred children, and a dozen wives. He loved and cherished them equally. But Callie, his youngest, with her passionate spirit and playful wit, he held her the closest. She had always been lawless, even as a child. She lived like the spirits of the fire, always dancing on the edges of the cliff. So he worried for her. He had to protect her. Not only for the dangers that surrounded her paths, but above all, he knew that he had to protect her from her _own_ wild and reckless heart.  
  
“ _Kìzis_ ,” his sun.  
  
“ _Nohsh_ ,” her father.  
  
She brought her palm up to her heart in greeting and he smiled at her briefly before his features turned to study his daughter with a stern frown. “Your sister tells me that you found these men.”  
  
“I did.”  
  
“Your sister also tells me that you rode closer to them, _after_ encountering them.”  
  
“I did,” _damn her sister_.  
  
“Calliope…” he said anguish filling his voice, and her guilty eyes fell to the ground, choosing not to say anything in her defence. Like how she didn’t actually ride much closer. Like how she was distracted on her way by a beautiful woman, the enchantment of hers of which couldn’t resist.  
  
“I don’t trust them, Kìzis,” he said, pulling her out of her reveries.  
  
“You just called them our neighbours?” she brought her gaze back up, looking at him searchingly.  
  
”I still don’t trust them, and I do not want you to go close to them again. Promise me.”  
  
She thought back to the fair headed woman.  
  
“I promise.”  
  
  


_May 1607_  
  
  


“Lady Smith, sweeting, tell me what you think of my beaver. I had it made just before we left, by a needleworker of King James,” he gave her a twirl before bowing down to show his impressive headpiece. She wondered whether she was expected to stroke it, and whether it would chirp, or gobble in return.  
  
“The plumes are very nice, sir,”  
  
“Wild ostrich, he traded for them in Naples.”  
  
Well, hiss then.  
  
Captain Newport had left a few days before, needing to return to England for fresh supplies and more men. The first month on shore hadn’t been as effortless as they initially had hoped. With their stocked supplies low and their knowledge of the land's wildlife poor, the settlers had been forced to live on a smattering of grain meals. The men were left drained and starved, and they had to watch someone fall from the exhaustion every other day.  
  
The new and foreign conditions of the land neglected their tireless efforts of growing them neither their wheat nor their barley. Ari spent endless of hours under the sun out on the fields, trying to cultivate the land for their crops.  
  
“As the president, I feel it’s important to show grace.”  
  
Now, she wasn’t all that interested in politics, to her it was nothing but an excuse for a nobleman's quarrel, but she could name more than a few more dire issues he could chose to care for. She held her breath though. Ratcliffe had seemingly accepted her as somewhat of a mute, and didn’t really require her to speak in his company. She'd rather it stay this way.  
  
“My lady, if you please, may I require your assist with an issue,” Timothy’s page bowed respectfully as he joined her and the other men.  
  
“Page, you’re not to disturb a lady in a feast!” Ratcliffe waved him off, trying to usher him away. “Leave us now!”  
  
“It’s rather pressing, sir. Lady Smith, if I may just have a moment.”  
  
“I swear—”  
  
“No, sir, it’s fine,” she calmed the loud man with a charming smile, “I’ll just be a moment.”  
  
At Ratcliffe's grunt of acceptance, the page took her hand and started leading her away from the men. They walked briskly past the few sparse houses that the men had put up, their path becoming darker as he lead them further away from the campfire.  
  
“Alexander, what is the matter?” she asked, his grasp firm around her hand.  
  
“Timothy asked for you, a minor crisis he said,” he shrugged without turning back to face her.  
  
“A crisis?” Ari asked, puzzled by his statement. She hadn’t seen Timothy since the last barrels were carried from the Gospeed, but by the way he had been eying the bottles she hadn't expected him to still be standing, much less ordering his poor page around.  
  
As they reached the fort’s tall palings, the younger man pushed the heavy gates open to lead her out back to the open fields. She poked her head hesitantly around the wooden posts to find Timothy’s form leaning against their outer walls.  
  
“Sister!” he grinned victoriously as lifted his hands in approval with a cigarette dangling from his mouth. “Brilliant work, Alexander!” She could tell by sway of his hips that he was, as suspected, already quite intoxicated.  
  
“This is a crisis?” her tone sceptical as she walked towards her wobbling brother, but still she couldn’t help the growing smile at the sight of his wide grin.  
  
“I enjoy a good drama, sister,” he shrugged. “Now, you may join me and Alexander in smoking this fine, celebratory tobacco of the West Indies, for I have infused it with rum.” He held up the cigarette to her nose in demonstration. She wondered how her brother got a hold of these things.  
  
Taking the cigarette from her brother, she filled her lungs slowly in a long draw. She didn’t really care much for tobacco back in England, and she still rarely smoked. But her days on the colony were long and dreary, thus she’d grown to enjoy the flavour on occasion. “Are we smoking in celebration of our new president, Timothy?” she teased as she exhaled the smoke.  
  
He huffed at the thought. “I cannot believe his ways, Arminell! We have already eaten the majority of our stores! Our crops won’t grow! Our men cannot hunt!” he pointed in frustration towards the fields. “So he hosts a feast? In his honour? The thought is simply maddening.”  
  
“And still here we are, drinking in celebration,” she added. She was just as exasperated as her brother with the man, but for once she didn’t mind the liquor, or the way it turned the men around her into rowdy cavemen. It gave them a break from their gloomy reality. Something Ari had been doing herself all to often lately. Her defiant mind trailing off to a raven haired woman.  
  
“We are celebrating idiocracy, Sister, for fools must be acknowledged as well.”  
  
“No, sir. We’re drinking in celebration of Ratcliffe’s magisterial headpiece.”  
  
Timothy burst into a roaring laughter with his younger page. “I fear that it will come alive and _murder_ me in my sleep,” Timothy added as he doubled over.  
  
“My friend, you’re much too wise. Now go and nick us more of that ale,” he added, once his laughter had subsided.  
  
Watching his page leave through the gateway, he turned back to his sister again, his features turned solemn at her guise. She was both paler and thinner now, her skin had lost some of it’s usual glow and her eyes no longer sparkled with the joy and hope that he was accustomed to finding there. He felt responsible for this suffering they had been through and it pained him greatly to see his sister in this state.  
  
“Arminell, is Ratcliffe becoming unbearable?” he finally asked her, “do you wish for me to speak with him?”  
  
“I can handle it, Timothy,” she said, content to stand still with her eyes fixed on the fields ahead.  
  
He let out a deep sigh. “Yes, turning down gentlemen. I should not worry. _This_ you seem schooled professionally at.”  
  
She rolled her eyes.  
  
“I do wonder what will inspire you to find yourself a husband.”  
  
“Will you leave this be?” her eyes finally met his, frustration evident in her clear blue eyes.  
  
“I simply worry for you, Sister. No man is ever good enough.”  
  
She didn’t reply, she knew that she didn't have too.  
  
“I want you to have a wife’s rights and protection, I want you to have a home, I want to see you secure and joyous,” he spoke sincerely and considered his words carefully before continuing under her impatient look, “Nicholas was a good man. Why couldn’t you have taken his hand?”  
  
Ari groaned.  
  
“I’m not to wed a man I do not love, _Brother_ , and I had expected _you_ of _all_ to accept this.”  
  
“Ari—“ he tried to argue.  
  
“No! You will _not_ wed me off to whoever _you_ deem satisfactory!" she yelled angrily at him, frustrated by this repetitive discussion between them.  
  
Timothy started to say something, but was stopped at the sight of his younger page reappearing at the gate, his hands stacked with bottles.  
  
“I’m sorry, sir, my lady, I will leave.”  
  
“No!” Ari decided for him. “Stay Alexander, I require more courteous company,” challenging her brother who was watching her with a sour look on his face.  
  
  


***  
  
  


Ari woke with the sun the following day, disrupted by the turbulent dreams in her restless sleep. Rubbing her eyes she decided against trying to force her unwilling body to rest.  
  
As she tiptoed inaudibly over the wooden boards of their makeshift house she stopped to peer gently through the door of her brother’s bedchamber. She found him passed out on his front on top of his covers, his limbs dangling from his bed. Still annoyed with him, provoked by just the mere sight of his sleeping form, she dressed quietly and slipped out through the lifeless village of Jamestown.  
  
  


***  
  
  


The sun had begun to rise behind the tall mountains, casting a dim light over the blooming land, giving Ari the additional courage she needed to continue her route through the thick forest.  
  
She had to watch her steps carefully, as the sea water inundated the low coastal land somewhat unpredictably. The water seemed to have risen over the night as it was filled with ponds and smaller brooks she couldn’t recognise. She made a mental note to study this occurrence later.  
  
She still hadn’t found her journal that she had carelessly left behind the first time that she’d visited the woods. When her mind had been preoccupied by a wild, raven haired woman. It was a rare event for her, to be that thoughtless, or enthralled rather, to simply forget something. Especially something dear to her. Ari considered herself to be most level headed, under deliberate control, and enjoyed living her life in this disciplined manner. It kept her judgment composed, her perception sharp.  
  
This woman though, she seemed to leave her in the exact opposite state; her mind cloudy and spinning with quixotic ideas that she shouldn't even entertain. But the blonde simply couldn’t stop the woman from entering her thoughts, but remembered her wild elegance and alluring eyes with a silly smile on her face.  
  
A young chestnut coated colt crossed her path, it studied her carefully before continuing past her to drink by the small pond that laid just up ahead, not three meters from where Ari was standing. It passed her slowly, but didn’t appear to be bothered by her presence.  
  
It bothered Ari though, her body froze at the sight.  
  
Not long after the young horse had arrived, the rumbling sounds of more horse hooves echoed through the woods. She turned nervously towards the approaching sounds. One frenzied steed had left her considerably frightened of the bigger animals as a much younger girl. This was years ago, but it obviously still troubled her, she realised.  
  
The sounds grew louder, heavy hooves closing in rapidly. Her breath became unsteady and her head started spinning as the memory of the steed grew more and more vivid with the enclosing sounds.  
  
As the large herd finally cantered into view, she backed up in haste and let out a loud shriek, her heart running violently in her chest.  
  
One of the horses were being ridden, carrying a familiar raven haired woman.  
  
Callie’s head turned instantly towards the piercing sound as she steadied her horse, and was stunned to find the fair woman backed up against the trunk of an old oak.  
  
Ari met the other woman’s eyes, and passed out.  
  
  


***  
  
  


She dabbed the woman’s face gently with her cloth, the deerskin wet from the fresh water of the pond. She had positioned them on the other side of the resting herd, in case the woman were to wake suddenly.  
  
Callie couldn’t help but to admire the other woman’s fine features as she laid peacefully in her lap, and tenderly brushed her fingers through loose strands of soft locks that had fallen from their place inside a braided bun. Still finding her just as miraculously beautiful, she did note that the smaller woman seemed thinner and her fair skin even paler since she first had met her. Remembering her father's words, she felt a sinking feeling in her stomach and scolded herself for not bringing any bread.  
  
Around the pale neck a twinkling necklace hung loosely, adorned with one single stone calling out for Callie’s attention. It was coloured like the green seas, though not cloudless like its water, but of an intense solid colour. It reminded her of the delicate eggs of a small bird living in the treetops of her home.  
  
She gingerly picked the pendant up from the sleeping woman’s ivory chest and held it closer to her face, studying the soft, round stone.  
  
As she looked at the jewellery in her hand she felt a pair of clear blue eyes stare up at her from the corner of her focused eye.  
  
“It’s a turquoise,” Ari spoke softly, feeling like she’d woken from a long fruitful sleep, “the stone, my mother left it for me.”  
  
Callie looked back at the woman curiously, tilting her head at her voice.  
  
“You do not understand me, do you?”  
  
Callie smiled quizzically, which made the golden woman beam back at her happily. Callie felt her chest flutter happily at the sight and noticed that some colour seemed to return to her skin, making her dimpled cheeks look rosy.  
  
“Turquoise, stone,” she said slowly as her hand reached blindly over the other woman’s open palm to touch the pendant, looking towards their hands to direct the other woman’s gaze.  
  
“Turquoise,” she repeated when the raven haired woman no longer held her eyes.  
  
“Tekewaz,” Callie repeated shyly, her eyes once again returning to the woman in her lap.  
  
Ari chuckled, “yes, Tekewaz.”  
  
Realising that she was in fact lying in the other woman’s embrace, she lifted her body slowly. A flush spread across her chest when she turned back towards the woman sitting next to her. Though she was far more covered this time, wearing an _actual_ dress, Ari still blushed at the closeness of the beautiful woman.  
  
Callie’s eyes darted between the blonde woman’s soft eyes and the stone hanging around her neck. “ _Nuturuwins_ Calliope,” she said as she placed her right hand over her chest.  
  
Ari studied her hesitantly before understanding, “Calliope?”  
  
Callie’s features broke into a big smile, “ _kupi_ ,” she said, nodding her head.  
  
“ _Kupi_ ,” Ari echoed before repeating Callie’s gesture, “Arminell,” she said before changing her mind, “Ari.”  
  
The brunette nodded and looked at her intently. “ _Sa kir winkan?_ ” she asked and indicated to the the blonde’s head. She had to repeat the gesture a few times before the blonde could understand her question.  
  
“Yes, _kupi_ , I am all right, thank you,” she said as she was reminded of why she had fainted in the first place. The blonde turned her head to look around them, taking in her surroundings before her eyes landed on the herd. Grimacing she inspected the horses across the water warily.  
  
Callie followed her line of eyes, “Ari,” she said, getting her attention again as she stood up and held out her hand out for the other woman. “ _Pyas_.”  
  
Ari looked back and forth between the horses and Callie’s hand before realising what she wanted her to do, “No, no… no. I’m just fine here. No horses for me, no,” shaking her head rapidly.  
  
“ _Kupi, kupi, kupi_ ,” Callie mimicked, nodding her head up and down in the opposite direction of the blonde’s, smiling at the reluctant woman who remained sitting firmly on the ground. Finding her ludicrous for fearing the kind animal.  
  
Ari kept shaking her head stubbornly, if she couldn’t trust _tamed_ English horses, she wasn’t about to trust _wild_ island horses.  
  
Callie sighed, and Ari was sure that she saw a roll of those beautiful eyes as she turned and walked over silently to greet the horses. They welcomed her lovingly. Almost, _almost_ , making Ari believe that they wouldn’t be of harm to her neither.  
  
After a moment, Callie started walking back around the pond towards Ari, one of the horses following her closely.  
  
Once she had decided that she’d put enough distance between the lone horse and the rest of the herd, she turned to pat it, murmuring softly to the animal to stay where it was.  
  
Ari pouted as Callie, another moment later, once again stood in front of her and held out her hand expectantly for the blonde to take.  
  
“Fine," she groaned. "But you are the one to mend my broken bones, Calliope,” stilling her head in silent defeat.  
  
Callie grinned at the fairer woman’s nonsensical babble and pulled her up to gently yank her in the direction of the horse. Needing to use more strength the closer she got, the fair haired woman proved herself to be surprisingly strong for her delicate frame.  
  
She let go of her hand as they reached the animal and blew softly on the horse's nose, he greeted her by snorting loudly, making her laugh quietly before taking a step back towards the blonde and grasping her hand again. She turned them carefully, pulling the blondes tentative body in front of her own and securing her in her strong embrace.  
  
"And you should know, Calliope, that I am only doing this for your beautiful smile." Callie seemed to understand as she smiled silently behind her and lifted their joined hands to stroke the horse slowly over his nose.  
  
Ari held her breath as she let the taller woman continue the motion. Her mind was lost in a haze, lulled by the feeling of Callie's warm body against her back and the steady breath against her ear. She couldn't even bring herself to fear the large animal, but observed it attentively under her soft touch. Where its big round eyes showed her no sign of aggression.  
  
As Ari’s body started to relax against her own, Callie let her hand drop from the blonde's but remained standing close in their embrace, watching the other woman's hand move slowly on its own.  
  
Ari kept tracing the animal’s nose gently and smiled at her newfound friend.  
  
Giggling softly, proud of her achievement, she turned her head back towards the other woman, for a moment forgetting how close they were. But as her eyes met the taller woman’s own deep, dark and velvety ones, she couldn't help but pull in even closer. Her gaze fell lower to study luscious, plump lips. Enthralled by the flushed skin she found there she deemed their distance to be unnecessary.  
  
Her breathing slowed as the taller woman’s tongue came out to wet the enticing lips, making them look even softer than before. Even softer than those of her colourful dreams. Looking back up again to obsidian eyes, she was met by a fiery amber shining with incredible passion. It made her knees weak, and she quickly brought her gaze down in an effort to calm herself, closing her eyes and inhaling a deep, shaky breath.  
  
The other woman stood silently, watching her under heavy lidded eyes, trembling slightly in the heat of the smaller woman. She watched as the blonde’s eyes darted from her own, to the ground and back up again with uncertainty.  
  
Ari then turned her head away, to the sky, letting it linger there silently, searching for the sun that had now climbed high. It was probably just before noon.  
  
"I should return," Ari whispered, looking down again, not daring to hold the other woman’s eyes yet.  
  
Callie looked up to the sun and forced herself out of her own trance as she nodded, understanding her request. She backed from the other woman slowly and pulled out a rope that had been hung around her body, tying it instead loosely around the animal's crest before she lifted herself up on the horse with ease and held out her hand for the blonde.  
  
Ari hesitated, “I do not know why I trust you so,” she said, studying the woman before taking her hand.  
  
Callie didn’t reply, but picked up her lithe body to pin the smaller woman between her grasp around the rope and her own body, her strong legs keeping them both in place.  
  
Steering the horse around she nudged the blonde to meet her smile, as if trying to soothe her nerves before she took off quickly into the woods.  
  
  


***  
  
  


“I want to see you again, Calliope,” she murmured, standing hidden under the heavy branches of an older beech, just outside the tall palings of Jamestown. She couldn’t tell if the other woman understood her, but she smiled that big, reassuring smile of hers and Ari felt like the sun shone five times brighter.  
  
  


***  
  
  


Ari closed the door slowly behind her, groaning as the wood creaked loudly, breaking the silence of the house, _brilliant_. Standing still in the small parlour she waited silently for her brother to burst out and start scolding her for her disappearance.  
  
The beheading never came. She frowned at the silent house.  
  
“Brother?” she called out dubiously.  
  
Only a heavy grunt was heard from her brother’s chambers.  
  
Walking over to peer through the door, she found Timothy lying face down on his bed, exactly where she had left him hours ago.  
  
“Brother are you unwell?” she asked as she approached his static figure, trying to assess his condition.  
  
“Yes, Sister,” he groaned in agony, “for I have been cursed by one greatly resentful tot of rum. Now my frail head has been remodeled as the nest of one troubled elephant and his three cousins.”  
  
She snickered at the description and went to fill up his flask before nudging his lifeless body over to drink.  
  
Ignoring the offered glass he drank vigorously from the jug, almost choking on the water when his eyes fell on his sister’s attire, “Sister! What happened to you?!”  
  
She looked down at her dusty robes, her gown was ripped along the edges and her cotton shirt no longer appeared to be white. Realising that she probably had leaves in her hair, she started fiddling with the messy bun.  
  
“Uhm, nothing, Brother,” she stammered, “an animal... out on the fields, gave me a bit of a fright that is all.”  
  
“What animal was this?” he asked, staring at his sister in horror.  
  
“Uh a… racoon. A Racoon.”  
  
He looked at her vacantly for a moment before his mind seemed to come back to life, “Oh. Yes. This I understand, those can be quite intimidating, Sister. Nothing to be ashamed about.”  
  
Blushing lightly she cast her eyes down to the flooring, afraid her face would reveal her memories of the morning.  
  
Lifting his upper body to rest against the headboard, he didn’t seem to notice his sister’s flushing cheeks but groaned at his spinning head. “Sister, I wish to apologise... for my... impetuous manners last night. I am anxious and worried by all this uncertainty."  
  
“I know,” Ari smiled sadly in sympathy, “it will be all right.” Though she wasn’t that certain any longer.  
  
Looking out through his window her mind was brought back to their rubbish crops, and the fatigued men. They couldn’t live like this for much longer, she knew. And still her mind was wandering, roaming off and telling her to find shelter in the embrace of a wild woman from the forests she barely even knew.  
  
Shaking her head, as if it the motion would take her mind off of Calliope, she rose to take the empty flask off his hands, “Do drink more water, Timothy, you will feel better. I must fettle before returning to the fields.”  
  
She filled the jug again before patting his head at his squeamish grimace.  
  
“Call for me if there are any more racoons, Sister!” he yelled after retreating form, and grunted loudly at the effort before sinking down in his bed again.  
  
  


***  
  
  


Ari woke slowly with the sun the morning after, forcing her tired eyes to open reluctantly against the brightness. She turned her listless body over and yawned sleepily.  
  
Lying quietly under her covers she let her drowsing eyes absently search the small room.  
  
Something unfamiliar resting on her windowsill caught her eye, it awoke her curiosity as she pulled herself from the bed and stepped over to the window. It had been left ajar the night before like always, as she liked to fall asleep by the soothing sound of the forests.  
  
On the wooden board she found her once lost journal returned with a patch of wrapped animal hide left on top of it. She took both items timidly, poking her head out from her window she searched the village for any signs of whom had left them for her. It greeted her with nothing but silence, still fast asleep in the quiet hours of the dawn.  
  
Sitting back down on her bed and setting her journal aside she gingerly unfolded the cloth.  
  
It was filled with small grains.  
  
She inspected them closely, their texture and form, letting her mind process their origin. Then she couldn't help but laugh happily, as she realised what they were, hope filling her body for the first time in months.  
  
Kernels of maize, dozens of them.


	3. English Summer

"No."  
  
"No?"  
  
Callie laughed at the blonde's exasperated features and crouched down next to her new friend to demonstrate. Taking the kernels off the smaller woman’s hands she planted the grains a bit further down in the soil before rising again to take two long strides down the fields and repeat the process. Pointing to their distance as she stood.  
  
"Yes, yes, I remember; two steps apart," Ari huffed and used the back of her hand to try and comb back defiant locks, though mainly succeeding to smear more dirt across her face.  
  
Callie smiled at the other woman’s persistent efforts at keeping her appearance tidy, completely unnecessary in her own mind, as she found Ari to be particularly beautiful like this; cheeks flushed under unruly tresses curling wildly around her face, with small droplets of sweat that had beaded across her forehead.  
  
The woman stalked past her, took the kernels back and continued down the fields. Though eager to learn, Ari insisted on doing as much of the work as possible herself. Callie had quickly learnt just how stubbornly independent the blonde was, much to Callie's amusement and Ari's frustration when Callie was the one experienced with this lands vegetation, where the blonde needed the taller woman’s assistance more often than not.  
  
They had been meeting like this for the past week, at dawn, working together before the village woke and Callie could help the blonde in the white men's farmland without being seen.  
  
When Ari had first shown her the land, Callie had found their soil to be barren, obviously sheltered from the river’s fruitful tides on the elevated land that the white men had chosen. They had ended up shuffling the entire first layer of the ground around, to enriched the soil with fish and clams which Callie had brought from her tribe. Watching the blonde squirm around the dead fish and chide her for laughing had been worth the scowl of her father’s as he uncovered her theft.  
  
This morning she had found the blonde woman impatiently awaiting her arrival as she bounced enthusiastically over to greet her. Obviously intent on finally planting the crops after the taxing days of preparing the soil. Therefor it was particularly difficult for the taller woman to have to correct her efforts today.  
  
"Ari!"  
  
Ari, who was a couple of meters further down the land now, lifted her head back towards Callie. She swung her arms sideways to demonstrate the rows that they needed, for the plants to grow together in blocks. Rather than planting the kernels in one single line, like Ari was currently forming.  
  
"Yes, yes. Rows," Callie bit her lip, trying not to laugh at her new friend as she once again huffed and started making her way backwards, planting the seeds along on her way. While she still couldn't understand much of the blonde's words, she could very well read her body language.  
  
Her eyes followed the blonde’s figure as she finished planting the remaining kernels in rows across the fields as instructed. Not that her eyes weren’t regularly following her fair friend, taking her eyes off of was becoming increasingly difficult.  
  
"All done!" Ari exclaimed when she returned eagerly to stand in front of the awaiting woman, showing her the empty hands and smiling proudly up at her. "What do we do now?"  
  
Her earnest eyes translated the question.  
  
" _Nibì_ ," she waved her right hand and pointed towards the sea.  
  
Ari studied her intently for another moment under shining eyes before taking Callie's hand to lead them back towards the gates. "Come with."  
  
She brought them to the wooden palings where buckets of water stood waiting.  
  
"Water?”  
  
"Water," the taller woman echoed softly.  
  
"And then?"  
  
Callie brought her gaze to the sky and lifted her closed palm up before opening it slowly.  
  
" _Kìzis_."  
  
"Sun?"  
  
She nodded and lowered her hand to Ari's hair, touching a loose strand faintly.  
  
Ari looked dumbfounded, "hair?"  
  
When the other woman just nodded with that brilliant smile of hers Ari laughed and blushed as she translated her compliment. "Like my hair?"  
  
“Yes, Ari.”  
  
She watched the other woman silently.  
  
“You are very swee—” Ari started but was interrupted by Callie’s hand silencing her lips.  
  
“ _Ehqutonahas_ ,” the taller woman muttered as she looked towards the wooden posts.  
  
Ari followed her gaze as she heard the metal handles' faint rattlings of someone opening the gates from inside the village. She looked back up at the raven haired woman alarmingly. “Calliope,” she whispered under her hand, not knowing what to do.  
  
Callie spun the smaller woman around swiftly and pushed her forward just as the tall gates started to creak and backed up, hiding behind the other side of the heavy gates as they opened to reveal Timothy’s form, looking startled by the sudden sight of his sister.  
  
“Sister!”  
  
“Brother!” she squealed, hastily walking further in to block his way out to their farmland.  
  
He studied her peculiar manners.  
  
“Who were you speaking to?”  
  
“Speaking?”  
  
“I heard you speak to someone?”  
  
“No… just myself, and… my crops. I… I like to speak to them, I believe it will bless them... with, healthy growth,” she said and frowned at her own choice of words.  
  
Timothy looked towards the empty garden with an raised eyebrow, “Arminell… there aren’t any crops.”  
  
She cast a quick glance over her shoulder before turning back to him, grunting under his questioning eyes, and slightly offended by his disbelief in her crops. “There will be— there are! They are simply underneath the soil at this moment. We— _I_ , just scattered the grains this morning.”  
  
“I see,” he said carefully, his eyes moving between the land and his sister. “Maybe I should take over for today, you have been at it all week, maybe some rest—”  
  
“No!” she interrupted pointedly. “I’m doing well, Brother, there really is no need,” she insisted, daring to look towards the open gates, where she could just about make out another figure hiding behind the wood posts.  
  
“Fine then,” he said shrugging as Ari sighed in relief. “But at least let me help you carry these buckets.”  
  
He started walking in the direction of the hidden woman but was quickly stopped by Ari bumping into his chest, holding him back from going any further, “Arminell?”  
  
“I can do this, Timothy. Let me do this.”  
  
He studied her bewilderedly for a moment, but ultimately surrendered to her headstrong will. He knew better than to argue with her once she had made up her mind. Bringing his hands up in silent defeat he backed away from the fields.  
  
“Come and get me for supper, Brother,” she added and smiled brilliantly at him as he snickered at her odd behaviour.  
  
Ari held her breath as she watched him push the wooden gates behind himself and closed her eyes to exhale heavily once they finally shut.  
  
When she opened them again, panic rose once again inside her chest as she found Callie’s hiding spot to be empty, swirling around rapidly she found the woman back out on the fields, carrying two buckets.  
  
“Calliope!” she hissed loudly. “Come back!”  
  
The other woman simply offered her a teasing smile in return before she put down one of the buckets and started watering the soil with the other.  
  
  


***  
  
  


The rain fell heavily the coming days. It succeeded to convince Ari to finally take a break from her laborious work from sunset to sundown. Not that the stubborn woman would ever admit it, but after nearly two months with nothing but dirt, it was a welcomed recess.  
  
Sheltered under the many slender branches of a large sallow tree, the women sat facing each other on the base of its sturdy root. Just outside, they could hear the soft sounds of the raindrops falling into the river. Callie had rode to meet her at dawn, like she always did, not seeming to mind the downpour as she covered the smaller woman under her animal hide and brought them here. Introducing Ari to her own secret haven.  
  
Currently in the process of peeling them dried nuts from their shells, the brunette looked up to meet the other woman’s curious eyes as she placed one in her hand, and waited for Ari to taste it.  
  
The blonde closed her eyes at the rich, buttery flavour. “This is lovely, Calliope,” Ari hummed and chewed happily, it was the finest treat she had tasted in months.  
  
“ _Pakán_ ,” Callie explained and dropped another nut into the open palm.  
  
“ _Pakán_.”  
  
Callie kept feeding the other woman as she peeled them the fruit, cherishing in the way it made her eyes shine and brought a dimpled smile to her face. Callie had _already_ decided it to be the most beautiful of sights the first time she saw it, but now she knew with certainty.  
  
  


_June 1607_  
  
  


The settlers had started moving further inland to hunt, though still lacking in obvious skill and practice they had been managing to do just about well enough to feed themselves under the warm summer sun. Behind Timothy’s lead they had been hunting alongside the natives and traded their knowledge of the woods for the Englishman's new tools of metal and iron. The trades were met with varying opinions in the tribe.  
  
“Their weapons of fire concern me, _nihsháns_.” Matunaagd, Chief Powhatan’s younger brother and leader of their warriors was hesitant towards the recent progression. “We should drive them away, while they still are weak and few.”  
  
His brother remained silent next to him, contemplating his words.  
  
“We are still their equals, _numat_ , even if they come from afar,” he told him. “We can find good use of their unyielding tools. They seem to mean us no harm... and it’s only a bit of swampland they want.”  
  
Matunaagd honored his older brother’s leadership, he knew that the other man carried a deep respect for every living thing around them. And it made him the greatest of leaders. But Matunaagd also knew what men were capable of as the seasons rotated. As the tides turned.  
  
“But what will they want in times to come?”  
  
  


***  
  
  


Callie plucked one of the shrub’s lobed leaves and held it out towards the blonde.  
  
“ _Winauk_?”  
  
“Yes,” Callie nodded eagerly.  
  
Ari brought the leaves closer and scrunched her nose, “And I am supposed to be drinking this?” her voice hoarse after having caught an adamant infection over the last days. Callie smiled wordlessly and used her flint knife to cut loose a part of it’s root before handing it over to the blonde.  
  
She studied the root gingerly, and scribbled down some notes in her journal. Making the other woman lean closer to peek curiously at her inking, Ari giggled softly as her ebony tresses fell over the canvas, and brought her hand up slowly to tuck the strands back behind her ear.  
  
“I write it down, so I can remember,” smiling at Callie’s keen interest. “I want to always remember this... And _you_ , and everything you show me.”  
  
After drinking the sassafras root two nights in her tea, Ari’s voice was no longer sore. And after a week had passed Ari felt more energised than she had for months.  
  
  


_July 1607_  
  
  


“Where have you been?”  
  
Callie furrowed her brows as she slipped off the horse, walking past her sister to gather fruit for her steed.  
  
“Nowhere.”  
  
“Where did you sleep then?”  
  
The taller woman shrugged, facing away from the other woman to comb the steed’s rough mane as he ate.  
  
Alawa paused hesitantly, “Callie, would you tell me if you were lost?”  
  
“I know myself, Alawa” Callie answered truthfully, looking back towards her sister, “I know my heart.”  
  
  


***  
  
  


“It’s late,” the blonde said somberly as her eyes searched the sky. As much joy and wonder the raven haired woman brought her by simply being near, Ari loathed the awaiting hours apart, when she would nothing but long for her company immensely.  
  
“Sun,” Callie said, opening her palm like she always did when speaking of the daylight.  
  
“Yes,” Ari answered her softly. “It has climbed high.”  
  
Callie grinned and nodded to the blonde’s head as Ari giggled. “ _Hair_ , Calliope, not sun.”  
  
“ _Kìzis_ ,” she insisted, bopping her head up and down, making the blonde laugh louder as she shook her head in disagreement.  
  
“Hair,” Ari clarified.  
  
Callie inched closer to the blonde and tenderly placed the back of her hand to touch the other woman’s cheek. “ _Ninow_?” she said softly, drawing small, light, circles over the skin while she waited for Ari to translate.  
  
“Cheek,” Ari gulped, their nearness and the soft touch of the taller woman’s hand sent a shiver down her spine.  
  
Still touching her ever so faintly she lowered her hand slowly, her own eyes still locked on the blonde’s. “ _Nindàmikan_.”  
  
“Chin.”  
  
“ _Nidjàsh_ ,” she brought the tip of her finger up to rest on the bridge of her nose, slowly tracing it down over the other woman's tip. “Nose,” Ari whispered breathlessly, the trail of the taller woman’s touch sizzling against her skin.  
  
Without breaking the motion, she carried her finger down over Ari’s upper lip. Softly tracing the blonde’s full lips as her eyes broke from the blonde’s to study the rosy skin. “ _Nindòn_ ,” she whispered.  
  
She could see the lips open slightly in answer under her touch, but she couldn’t hear any sound following their movement.  
  
Gathering fallen strands from her face she moved her hand slowly back to the crown of her head. Letting it rest there she found the Ari’s eyes again, studying them closely. They were of a clear celestial blue, like the sky. Callie found them to be electric, luminous, like a crystallised river that had frozen over the winter.  
  
“ _Nishkìnjig_.”  
  
“Eyes.”  
  
  


_August 1607_  
  
  


“Calliope!” the blonde yelped, almost losing her balance as the taller woman suddenly appeared from the plants. Callie grabbed her readily to still her swaying form. The maize stalks stood tall now, reaching up past their heads and shielding them both from being seen by the lush leaves of thick branches.  
  
“Good day, my lady” she said politely and bowed her head, impersonating the white men she had overseen greeting the blonde over the summer months.  
  
Ari rolled her eyes and grinned at her friend. “Don’t _my lady_ me,” she scolded playfully. “And you shouldn’t be here, Calliope, it’s already past noon,” she said, looking anxiously behind her, though she couldn’t actually see past the first row of crops surrounding them.  
  
“No fear, Ari,” she said and gestured to the encircling greenery.  
  
“I know,” the blonde’s smile fell as her gaze fell back to study the audacious woman, her carelessness worried her. “But you _must_ be more careful, Calliope. I do not wish to see you harmed,” she shook her head softly and cast her eyes to the ground. “You shouldn’t be here now.”  
  
Ari’s mind was starting to catch up to her fleeing heart, reminding her of her reality, her place and trying to save herself from the impending act that would undoubtedly shatter her to pieces. Her mind was living in fiction, she knew. How long could they do this? How many times could they barely evade being seen? And how long could she settle for only seeing this beautiful woman a few hours at daybreak?  
  
“I have _pakán_ ,” the taller woman said hopefully, showing her a small pouch carrying Ari’s favourite treat.  
  
Ari sighed, _tomorrow_ , tomorrow she could return to her senses.  
  
  


***  
  
  


They sat quietly under the beech of the hillside, overlooking Jamestown’s tall palings where they could see the men digging them another well.  
  
The water looked brackish and Ari feared that it was infested with parasitic diseases. She had been trying to convince her brother to only use the clear water from the crisp rivers further up the land. But wasting men everyday on carrying the heavy water wasn’t a sustainable method in the governour's mind. So they were told to dig and satisfy with what emerged. And Ari had been boiling it in an effort of purifying the muddy water instead. She believed it to be a sufficient method so far, but most men still drank directly from the well, ignoring her protests.  
  
Callie turned her eyes from the men to meet the other woman’s. “My father says you are to leave,” she said quietly.  
  
Ari’s brows creased in question. “No, Calliope, we mean to stay.”  
  
“To live? With us?” she asked hesitantly, fearing the answer.  
  
Ari searched the other woman’s timid expression. They never spoke about this, probably because they were too afraid to acknowledge the times to come.  
  
“We came to settle on the island,” she started carefully, “my brother and his men were sent here to harvest crops and fur of the animals to bring back to Europe.”  
  
“Why?” the raven haired woman failed to make sense of the commission.  
  
“To sell, to trade, to make noblemen wealthy,” Ari shrugged.  
  
Callie didn’t answer immediately, instead she silently placed another fruit in the blonde’s open palm and gently grasped it with her other hand, folding their hands together over the kernel.  
  
“Ari, man cannot claim the earth’s bounty without giving back.”  
  
Ari looked down to their hands, feeling the hard fruit in her palm and the soft skin enclosed around her hand. She had heard her speak similarly before. Callie believed in spirits, that everything they touched had a conscience, a soul and had once lived before this life in another vessel. She was gentle, loving and faithful to the earth and its beings. Lacking in all guile and trickery, so different from the world of deceit, greed, envy and slander Ari was born in. So different from the world that Ari and her men had brought with them to stain this peaceful land with.  
  
  


_September 1607_  
  
  


“This is wrong, the men will suffer!”  
  
“I will not have you give away all our steel and iron to the _savages_!” Ratcliffe shouted angrily.  
  
“You mean to say that these pans and kettles are worth more than food for our men?”  
  
“This colony must thrive independently! The company was expecting a ship _loaded_ of profitable goods in England’s harbours by June. June! We’re slacking Smith. The Spanish are months ahead! Tell your sister to start planting our tobacco and your men to hunt on their own. Any _savage_ who fail to comply will be put down.”  
  
“The men do not have the knowledge, sir. The hunting will be futile without the help of the naturals.”  
  
“This is _your_ responsibility, Smith,” he said, showing nothing but contempt for the other man. “Make the men hunt successfully, or _starve_. The decision is entirely yours.”  
  
  


***  
  
  


“Stop drinking this water Timothy, it will make you ill,” Ari scolded, replacing his jug with her distilled water.  
  
“Please, do not belittle me today, Sister,” he answered her in an aggravated tone of his voice.  
  
She studied his slumped shoulders.  
  
“You were unable to convince him then, I gather?”  
  
“No amount of sense will budge the man, Arminell.”  
  
Sitting down on the wooden chair opposite from him she calmly watched him eat their pottage.  
  
“We cannot survive without the naturals, without their knowledge and trade we will starve,” he summarized.  
  
She let her spoon stir the food absentmindedly through her own bowl, not feeling nearly as hungry as she probably was.  
  
“Maybe we needn’t be here then,” she finally said.  
  
Her brother looked up from his meal, baffled by the statement. “How can you even propose this? After all our labour? Do you have _any_ understanding of the importance of this commission? How rewarding this will be for the Kingdom of England?”  
  
“But this is _not_ England, Brother. This is not _our_ land!”  
  
“Please stop this,” he said, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. “I have brawled all day with one imbecilic man, that is _enough_ senseless banter to engage with for today.”  
  
“Are you implying that I am dumb?”  
  
“No,“ he grunted, “I am simply telling you that we need the advantage of the naturals.”  
  
“They are people, Timothy! _People_! We cannot demand them to follow our will!”  
  
“What has gotten into you? I am _trading_ with them, I am not demanding anything.”  
  
“But you are! You are tricking them, all of you, and you speak of them like wild animals!” Ari gestured wildly with her hands in exasperation.  
  
“You are wrong, I have treated them with nothing but respect,” he said as he rose from his chair, carrying his dish to leave the sitting room, no longer trusting his ability to keep his growing anger at bay.  
  
“And what will you do when they no longer want your litter of iron? When we are starving and have nothing left to trade?”  
  
He paused at the doorway, his back turned against his sister, before exiting in silence.


	4. Fair Weather

Autumn arrived all too quickly in Callie’s mind. This season she was unable to appreciate the beauty of the crimson leaves and the crispness of the wind, which she used to welcome with cheer.  
  
She rarely saw her fair haired friend any more. When the falling leaves no longer provided them their lush shelter, and the blonde no longer had a reason for disappearing from the fort’s tall walls, their time together seemed to wither with leaves. For their crops had already grown, matured and been harvested over the absenting summer warmth.  
  
The men had stopped hunting collectively. She really needn’t look further than to the fragile frame of Ari to know this as her frail body shivered in the wind. The morning still cold as the sun’s warming light laid faint behind the tall mountains of the east.  
  
She wrapped the smaller body tighter in the buckskin and held her closely. Ari looked up at her searchingly under troubled eyes. Like she needed something from Callie, but of which she couldn’t ask. Looking at her with sorrow and longing like she had been for weeks now.  
  
Callie waited patiently for her request, there really wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do for her. But Ari never asked. And the blonde didn’t show again that month.  
  
  


***  
  
  


“We wanna go back to England, sir. Please can we?”  
  
“Please can we go back to England, please?”  
  
The meager boys flocked around Timothy’s tall frame as he walked slowly through the quiet village, his own form felt weak and burdensome to carry. They couldn’t be older than twelve, the young pages, their small heads only reaching up his hip as they tried to stop him in his path.  
  
“Where’s Captain Newport, sir?”  
  
“When will we go back to England?”  
  
Timothy didn’t know. He had no answers. Instead the captain pulled their collars tighter around their thin bodies and pushed their woollen caps down to cover frigid ears.  
  
“We’re starving,” one of them pleaded. His chapped lips were taking on a purple colour in the cold breeze.  
  
  


***  
  
  


Feeling restless and hopeless weren't things Callie was accustomed to, normally joy came easily to her. And if it didn’t, she would simply flee into the wonders of the woods and find her excitement roaming the colourful terrains. But ever since the the blonde had climbed onshore and evaded her dreams, she didn’t seem to find the same joy in doing these things without her fair friend by her side. Without her endless babble and charming blue eyes, nothing seemed as enjoyable to the brunette.  
  
She exhaled heavily at the thought.  
  
“Stop Callie, you’re making me sad,” her sister grunted beside her.  
  
“I didn’t do anything.”  
  
Sitting cross legged in their hut, the two women were busy weaving cloths of animal hides for the upcoming winter months. The warriors whom had been sent out east hunting over the summer had finally returned, busying their clan with their successful season.  
  
“No, precisely, nothing; this new favoured pursuit of yours.”  
  
Callie sighed, concentrating on the fabric in her hand. “Please pardon me for not being so sunny, then,” she said annoyed, not patricuralry caring for another quarrel with her sister.  
  
Alawa looked at the younger woman’s drooping figure. She couldn’t recognise her now, when she no longer escaped at dawn to return full of life and radiant eyes. When she no longer playfully spoofed and pranked her clan and made Alawa do things which she shouldn’t. Now, she simply sat through her chores next to the other women, working obediently in silence. Callie had never sat through a daylight in silence before.  
  
She should have known this would happen, she should have protected her sister.  
  
“I know, all right? I know about the white woman,” Alawa said suddenly.  
  
Callie looked up to meet her eyes in question.  
  
“I know that you’ve been seeing her, helping her.”  
  
“Have you been following me?”  
  
Alawa groaned, “ _kupi_.”  
  
“Why?” Callie asked, glaring at her sister for intruding on her privacy.  
  
“Because you’re my sister! Because you do dumb things Calliope!” she chastised and dropped her needlework in frustration. “You roam far into white man's land and stand not two steps away from their weapons of fire!”  
  
“They wouldn’t hurt me,” she said, frowning at her sister’s accusations.  
  
“Of course not!” she couldn’t help but roll her brown eyes, could her sister really be this naive? “You’ve been helping them survive when they would have been forced to leave this land a long, long time ago if it wasn’t for you.”  
  
“She wouldn’t hurt me, it’s not like this,” she insisted and shook her head, disliking her sister’s prejudice.  
  
“Do you know how _disappointed_ father would be in you? You don’t know these people. You don’t know _what_ they want. And you’ve been putting your own people at risk by helping them!”  
  
“Alawa, please don’t tell him...”  
  
“I won’t,” she said instantly, her voice steady, “because he wouldn’t forgive you.”  
  
Callie cast her eyes down in shame.  
  
Alawa sighed, she didn’t mean to bring her sister any more sorrow.  
  
“I just don’t understand this Callie, help me understand,” she paused, before speaking carefully, “are you doing this for her?”  
  
“It doesn’t matter, Alawa, I couldn’t let them starve, father wouldn’t either,” she refused to meet her sister’s eyes, keeping her eyes fixed on the ground.  
  
“But it was for _her_ wasn’t it?”  
  
Callie didn’t answer.  
  
“She’s using you Callie, can’t you see this?”  
  
“She’s not.”  
  
“She is! _Nòndam!_ Of course she is! She’s full of lies and—”  
  
“ _Ehqutonahas!_ She’s not! You do not know her,” her eyes snapping up to meet her sisters, “she’s gracious and warm, and honest and strong. And she’s loyal, and— and she can be trusted.”  
  
Alawa groaned at her lovestruck words. “How can you be so blind? _Who_ do you think she’s loyal to, Callie? Her own blood _and_ kind, or you, a _stranger_ from the woods?”  
  
Callie didn’t want to listen, didn’t want to know her sister’s words.  
  
“She’s been using you all summer, _just_ like the men have been using our hunters.”  
  
“She wouldn’t hurt me,” Callie repeated, her armor wearing thin, her mind told her one thing where her heart argued another. And her sisters sharp words pierced right through her.  
  
“Then where is she?”  
  
No, Callie didn’t know this. _Where was she?_  
  
“Then how come you do not see her any longer?”  
  
“She wouldn’t hurt me...” Callie whispered, eyes watering as her gaze fell back to the ground.  
  
“How come she is nowhere to be found when your knowledge is no longer of use to them?”  
  
A single tear fled from Callie’s eyes.  
  
  


***  
  
  


Callie rode to the blonde’s village with the sun the following morning. She sat down heavily against the bole of the birch. And waited. Waited for the other woman to welcome her on the hillside with her kind smile and shining eyes like she used to. Her sister was wrong, the smaller woman was not capable of deception. She wouldn’t use Callie for her aid. She trusted Ari, just like Ari trusted Callie. She could see that in her clear blue eyes, her eyes couldn’t lie.  
  
She knew her heart.  
  
But where was she? Why wouldn’t she seek her?  
  
The sun continued rising faithfully in the sky, and Callie glared at it’s rapid pace. Why did it have to move with such determination?  
  
Under its growing light she sat back impatiently to study the village as it woke with the church bell’s loud ringing, listening to the men as they tiredly undertook their daily tasks under loud barks and clatter.  
  
When the tall palings finally opened, Callie perked closer from her spot wistfully, but her shoulders slumped quickly again as she spotted one single soldier stepping out to patrol the enclosing land.  
  
He became her sole entertainment throughout the day, as she watched him play with his weapon and kick the stones under his boots in a similar boredom that she felt.  
  
At one point he fell asleep standing. Not one to pass on a _sublime_ opportunity for misconduct, Callie picked up a fallen acorn and crawled closer from her hiding place in the tall grass. Closing her left eye, she took aim silently before firing her acorn swiftly at his bulbous helmet, smirking at her perfect shot as he tumbled over in a frenzy.  
  
Hours later, she yawned as she watched the sun set in the horizon. Cold and stiff from sitting on the hard ground all day she rose slowly to see the lone soldier drag the wooden gates behind him. She thought about climbing the tall posts, but her sisters word rang too loudly in her head. With one last glance she mounted her horse and kicked him off into speed, forcing herself to not look back.  
  
  


***  
  
  


On the other side of the gates Ari stood still, looking longingly at the wooden posts. Her memories from the forests outside lingered painfully over her heart. It felt as tender and frail as her arms, carrying heavy buckets in her hands. Gruff coughs broke her trance. She sighed and stayed another moment in silence before turning back towards her cabin.  
  
  


_December 1607_  
  
  


“We should marry.”  
  
Callie laughed at her friend as he handed her another violet plum.  
  
“What? I am gorgeous, you’re gorgeous, we’d make beautiful children,” he shrugged as if the proposition was the most sensible thing he’d ever thought of.  
  
Callie continued laughing at his words. “How many wives can you have, Mato?”  
  
“Only all the beautiful ones,” he winked as she hit him playfully.  
  
He didn’t lie, he was a striking man, women fawned next to him. With his jet black, long hair, undeniably handsome features and his brawny, well defined figure he was the most charming of all warriors. Standing a head taller than every other man he seemed to enjoy every last bit of the attention.  
  
Callie had known him since her father had united their tribes. She had watched her sisters bat their eyes at his every move ever since. She’d grown to know his flattering ways as he had stood faithfully next to her through the ever changing seasons. Besides Alawa, he was her closest friend, and these days only his company would succeed in bringing her to better moods again. She was greatly relieved to see him back from the hunting season.  
  
“I am a warrior, Cal,” he explained, “I need a strong family of many sons and daughters and—” He paused at his friend’s raised eyebrows as she waited for him expectantly to finish his sentence. “—wives. Healthy, happy wives,” he finished, grinning widely.  
  
Though still smiling, she shook her head at him in disagreement. “No Mato, I believe _one_ love is all we need.”  
  
He scoffed and waved his hand disapprovingly at her before placing more fruits in her open palm. “You’ve always been a peculiar one.”  
  
Callie only shrugged in reply.  
  
“So, where is this _one_ love then? Because from where I’m standing your chosen path is not looking very fruitful.”  
  
Callie broke from his eyes as she studied the dried fruit in her hand, “I thought I had it, but I lost it,” she said quietly, the longing for her fair headed friend still ached painfully in her chest.  
  
The warrior sat back to search his friend, he didn’t know where she had lost herself, but he understood that he had missed something important over the summer. Coming back he had found that her passionate spirit seemed to have been blown from her beautiful form.  
  
“So you give up; _all_ the other loves,” he held his hand out, gesturing to the other people gathered in the hut, “for this _one_ love. And then you… _lose_ it?”  
  
She didn’t answer, instead she kept her eyes locked on her hands.  
  
“You’re a warrior’s daughter— no, you’re the daughter of the _greatest warrior king_ there have ever been! You cannot simply surrender at first sign of struggle, Cal.”  
  
She looked up at him, begging his eyes to reveal her some kind of truth. Tell her right from wrong, day from night, for she couldn’t see past the dim fog of her heart anymore.  
  
“Your father taught me everything I know. He taught me how to hunt, how to fight, how to live and respect the spirits and creatures of this land. How to live through the ever changing seasons. He taught me to never lose hope. That for every sunset there is another sunrise waiting,” he continued under sincere eyes, trying to force some life back into her. “Did you even try, Cal?”  
  
“I tried,” she sighed, thinking back to all her empty hours waiting outside the white men’s fort.  
  
“But did you fight through the night? Or did you leave with the setting of the sun?”  
  
  


***  
  
  


She had climbed the wooden posts before. But that night felt like a distant memory now. That night last spring when her bravery was fed by the alluring charm of the mysterious blonde. Now her bravery wavered in the darkness of the night, wavered in front of the hostile gates. Was she simply careless? Reckless? _Not_ courageous? Like both her sister and Ari insinuated?  
  
Probably, but she couldn’t return now. Swallowing her doubts she expertly swung her rope around the post’s sharp spikes and hoisted herself over the edge. She landed with ease, soundlessly in the muddy ground of the other side.  
  
Her gaze searched the dark village, lit dimly by some oil lamps burning in murky windows. It almost looked to be deserted, she realised. The sparse homes appeared bedraggled and grubby, and burnt timberwood laid shattered across the rugged grounds. The changing season obviously hadn’t been easy on the white men. And the display filled Callie with dread, fearing for what she would find.  
  
She could hear the sparkles of a frail fire burning, and the murmurs of deep voices somewhere further in on the grounds, but otherwise Jamestown, as the blonde called it, seemed listless.  
  
Callie crept closer, hunching silently in between the houses. Peering around the side of an empty shed, she could make out Ari’s hut up ahead. A faint fire lit one of the rooms. It appeared to be burning in the small tinderbox of iron Ari used to carry. The small sign of life filled Callie’s body with hope once again, and she had to grab on to the corner of the shed to keep herself from dashing across towards the light. Instead, she looked around the village impatiently.  
  
To reach the hut she had to pass an opening, an opening where she would have to move unsheltered. Callie sighed and settled her excitement. Courageous, not reckless. Her eyes searched the grounds carefully, evaluating when she were to move across without being seen.  
  
That’s when she saw the other woman. The woman she couldn’t escape. The woman she couldn’t turn back from. She captured Callie’s gaze as she moved slowly, gracefully across the room, the shadow of her form dancing across clay walls. Callie envied it. Envied its ever closeness to the beautiful blonde.  
  
Ari’s brows were creased in concentration as she delicately folded the sheets in her hands and puffed out air in frustration against loose locks that kept curling around her face as she worked. She laughed silently, finding immense comfort at the sight of the irked blonde.  
  
Her comfort was short lived however, as she suddenly felt a pair of strong hands pull her back against the wooden surface with a terrific thud, a cold metal pipe pushed roughly up against her throat.  
  
“Who are you?” the burly man grunted.  
  
She tried to answer him, but the hard object against her throat pressed the air from her lungs.  
  
He looked around the corner of the shed, his eyes finding the Smith’s lit cottage before they flashed in anger and his grip tightened. “Are you’re here to pillage from us?”  
  
She shook her head quickly, gasping for air under his strong body, her hands started pushing against his shoulders. He refused to give way, pushing her harder back against the shed as she tried to shove him off.  
  
Panic spread through her veins as she struggled under his tight grip.  
  
“Stop fighting me!”  
  
Reckless. This was her penalty.  
  
Using all her strength she pushed hard against the pipe, shoving it back towards his taller frame. With help from the adrenaline running rapidly through her body, she was able to meet his strength.  
  
His eyes widened in fear as he felt her driving the weapon back towards him. But just as she managed to turn it away from herself, he grabbed her forcibly and shoved her violently into the shed. She landed heavily on her back on the hard flooring, hitting her head against something sharp on the way. She groaned in pain and brought her hands to the back of her head in protection.  
  
Shuddering, she felt warm liquid against her palm.  
  
“Shite,” the man cursed, regret shining in his auburn eyes as he quickly followed her to lean over her fallen form.  
  
She cringed, trying to crawl backwards as he approached her uncertainly.  
  
“Are you all rig—”  
  
The door creaked behind him, interrupting him as he turned to find Ari’s stunned form.  
  
“Alexander!” she gasped as she saw Callie’s body drawn together in fear under the taller man. “What did you do?!” her loud upbraid startled Callie, she’d never heard the woman speak with such disgust.  
  
“My lady—” he faltered, wincing at the harshness of her voice and the rage in her eyes.  
  
Ari moved quickly, pushing the man aside to kneel down next to Callie. Her heart breaking as the fallen woman flinched when she tried to reach out for her.  
  
“Calliope,” she spoke softly, faintly touching her shoulder as her eyes scanned her form, searching for injuries. She followed Callie’s arms up to her firm grasp sheltering the back of her head, and brought her own hand up gingerly to rest on top of the brunette’s.  
  
“Let me see. I just want to take a look.”  
  
Callie met her sincere eyes. She held them silently, letting them still her breathing and slow her pulse under their warm reassurance.  
  
“You can trust me, Calliope,” she added and tilted her head.  
  
And Callie trusted her, like she always did, like she always had.  
  
She knew her heart.  
  
Callie slowly brought her hands down from their tight grip, letting the blonde pull her upper body towards herself as her hand tenderly twisted her head to search the wound, her other placed on Callie’s shoulder to support her body.  
  
Blonde curls tickled her skin as Ari leaned in to assess her condition. She closed her eyes at the soothing nearness, feeling safe in the smaller woman’s light embrace.  
  
Ari’s own body tensed as she found the wound. It didn’t look very shallow, but she couldn’t see well in the darkness of the shed. She spun her head around to the man who stood back, silently inspecting them.  
  
“She’s bleeding,” she hissed sharply at him.  
  
“Arminell, I didn’t mean for— I, I was afraid she was here to plunder you or— be of danger,” he hung his head in shame.  
  
“Does she look dangerous to you?" she scolded, anger shaking her body.  
  
He didn’t answer, afraid to infuriate her further.  
  
A weak groan brought the blonde's attention back to Callie, she bowed her head to catch the other woman’s eyes. “Can you stand?” she asked, her voice tender again, her anger replaced with concern for her friend. “Do you feel lightheaded?”  
  
Callie hesitated before nodding slightly, still not trusting her voice.  
  
Ari smiled sadly, unable to keep her eyes from watering as she filled her lungs slowly, blinking away rogue tears before she turned back to the man again.  
  
“Alexander, help me move her.”  
  
He looked askance at her request, but moved obediently towards them anyway.  
  
Ari felt Callie go rigid again in their embrace as Alexander approached them. “It’s fine, Calliope, he won’t hurt you now.” She caressed her chin with her free hand, “I promise.”  
  
The blonde brought her gaze back up to the man as he hovered over them. “Won’t you?”  
  
He halted, stopping his movements.  
  
“I was afraid, lady, please forgive me for my actions,” he said quietly and bowed his head, the concern evident in his eyes.  
  
Callie looked to the blonde and nodded shyly.  
  
Alexander helped the blonde lift her body carefully to stand, she felt drowsy at the movement and had to squint her eyes to focus her vision again.  
  
“We’ll move her to my hut.”  
  
“My lady—”  
  
“Do as I say, Alexander,” her voice stern from the other side of the staggering woman, making him feel much smaller than he was.  
  
They carried her awkwardly between them to the blonde’s home, Ari knew that it would’ve been easier for Alexander to carry the woman himself, but she wasn’t ready to let go of her friend yet. Reaching her parlour, Alexander tried to set Callie down on the sitting bench but at the blonde’s sharp snarl he helped the wounded woman down to lay on her bed instead. He stood back, lingering in the room as he studied them both with uncertainty.  
  
The blonde moved quickly around the room, gathering cloths and searching for a cauldron to fill with fresh water before returning to the brunette. As she sat down by her side, she wetted the cloth before pressing it gently to her head. Trying to focus on her actions as she cleaned Callie’s wound. The anger coursed through her veins, but however strong it was, her worry for the brunette in her bed was even greater. And she couldn't help but hold the greater disdain for herself at the sight of the wounded woman. She should have protected her. Should have kept her safe from her world of pain.  
  
“You may leave now,” she broke the silence without looking back at the man.  
  
Alexander hesitated, still wary of this unfamiliar woman. He knew he had to follow Ari’s wishes, but the scene before him worried him. He’d grown very fond of the blonde siblings since they had hired him at only fifteen. Ari had always spoken to him like a friend, not a servant, taught him how to read and write and welcomed him at her table. Timothy and Ari were the only people who’d ever shown him this kindness before. The only family the orphaned man had ever known, and he felt greatly protective of them.  
  
“My lady… I should stay."  
  
She sighed and put the cloth aside, picking up a fresh one before meeting Callie's eyes. "Stay,” she ordered, “and keep this pressed against the wound. I'll be back." She gave the lying woman the new cloth before she rose to pull the man out from her room.  
  
“Alexander,” she started tiredly as they stood still in the parlour, “you mustn't tell anybody about this.” She felt too exhausted to lecture him further tonight.  
  
Alexander studied the blonde silently. “My lady… what is this? Who is this woman?”  
  
Ari hesitated, casting her eyes towards her brother’s closed door before speaking.  
  
“She is my friend, Alexander. And she means us no harm.”  
  
He frowned at the smaller woman, looking at her quizzically. “How can you tell?”  
  
“Because I trust her. And so can you.”  
  
He nodded slowly, accepting her words. He knew men of deceit, knew them all too well. Once it used to be all he ever knew and expected from the world. But the blonde was honorable and gracious, and if she could trust this unfamiliar woman, so would he.  
  
“I’ll sleep here,” he said, and pointed towards the wide bench, “call for me if you need me.”  
  
She resisted the urge to argue against him, but only smiled at him sadly before returning to her room. Gathering more supplies with her on her way, she settled quietly back down on the side of her bed next to Callie’s form. Taking the cloth from the woman’s hands, she combed back the raven hair to dab the wound gently, relieved to find that the bleeding had slowed considerably.  
  
Turning back to her bedside table she paused to look at the woman, “I’m gonna use stitches to close it… and you must stay absolutely still,” she instructed with doubt.  
  
Callie smiled softly, drowsily in her sleepy state.  
  
“I have stitched Timothy’s cuts many times,” she pressed, mainly to convince herself as Callie kept her smile fixed on her lips, encouraging the other woman to continue.  
  
“Right then,” she sighed, leaning back around her to find the wound. As she pulled the skin back together with the help of her needle, Callie’s body tensed again under her, urging her movements as the blonde worked in a deliberate haste, rapidly closing the wound before dressing it carefully with fresh tissues.  
  
“There, all well,” she exhaled as she bowed her head down again to find the other woman’s dark eyes. They were heavy and damp in agony after the night’s beating and Ari couldn’t help but whimper softly, bringing her cheek to rest against the other woman’s temple she closed her eyes.  
  
“I’m so sorry,” she murmured against the skin, “I’m so sorry Calliope.” Pulling back slightly, she removed her shoes quickly before climbing back into the bed, lying down on her side to face the other woman she rubbed her cheek gingerly. Sleep taking over the brunette's throbbing body under the light caress. “I’m so sorry.”  
  
“It’s all right, Ari,” Callie finally spoke, her voice hoarse and thick.  
  
“It’s not,” the blonde shook her head, her thumb collected a stray tear from Callie’s cheek.  
  
“I wasn’t careful,” she said, unable to keep a silly grin from spreading across her features. Somehow feeling content next to the blonde even as her head pulsated wildly.  
  
“No, you weren’t,” Ari scowled softly, running soothing circles over her cheek.  
  
“I wasn’t brave,” she was reckless.  
  
“No, Calliope,” the blonde shook her head, leaning in closer to catch her sleepy eyes. “You’re the bravest person I know,” she spoke softly and smiled with affection at the brunette.  
  
Callie felt greatly dazed now, the loss of blood coupled with Ari’s warm breath against her cheek made her mind spin and question whether this was all just a dream. She searched the blonde’s eyes quietly before speaking softly again.  
  
“Where did you go?” she swallowed. “Why didn’t you come to me?”  
  
Ari looked at her wordlessly, the pad of her thumb stilling its caress over her cheekbone.  
  
“I was afraid,” she whispered, her voice thick with sorrow.  
  
Callie nodded slowly, unable to keep her eyes open as her eyelids fluttered closed and she let the weight of her body fall deeper into the soft mattress.  
  
Ari inched closer, wishing to shield her from the world. “But I’m here now,” she spoke softly.  
  
One last time she forced open her eyes, looking deep into the celestial pools of her fair friend.  
  
“I cannot ignore my heart, Ari.”  
  
  


***  
  
  


The obtrusive ringing of church bells woke an unwilling brunette. Stretching, she blinked against the room. Momentarily forgetting her place as she tried to take in her surroundings in the darkness when the sun had yet to break through the sky. Patting lightly against her head she felt the soft texture wrapped around it as the memories of the previous night filled her. She looked around for the blonde, but found herself alone in the dark room.  
  
The door opened suddenly, revealing the young man from the night before carrying a heavy jug to the blonde’s dresser. He didn’t seem to notice the awoken woman, or how she shuffled back against the cold wall, trying to hide her body in the shadows. But when he turned from the dresser his movements froze as his auburn eyes met her own.  
  
Not knowing whether to leave or stay he cleared his throat and looked shyly around the room.  
  
“You’re awake,” he uttered dumbly after a moment of eerie silence.  
  
She watched him wordlessly, feeling her pulse quickly rise like the night before.  
  
“Lady… please pardon me,” his voice frail, filled with regret at the sight of the wounded woman. “I made a mistake. Yesterday… I—I panicked,” he continued, running his hands through his short hair as his eyes fell to the ground.  
  
She searched his features, she couldn’t trust him, her body repelled at the sight of him. But Callie had always found it too easy to condone, to let go of resentment. And part of her did forgive the man. For she knew that in his anger he had been protecting Ari, she’d witnessed how he worried for her friend last night. He obviously cared for her, looked after her, and for that; she could forgive.  
  
“I understand,” she spoke cautiously.  
  
He frowned at her words, baffled by her voice he opened and closed his mouth. But he didn’t have time to form any words as Ari stepped into the room.  
  
She stopped to look between her unmoving friends, before advancing to Callie’s side to check on the raven haired woman.  
  
“Good morning,” she whispered and smiled heartily at her friend in hope to ease the woman’s rigid form. She gently ran her hand up and down Callie’s arm before leaning over her body to peek around the bandaged head.  
  
While she worked on the dressing Alexander neared the pair slowly, his brows still knitted in confusion. “Arminell?” he said quietly.  
  
She looked back to him, puzzled by his scrunched features.  
  
“Uhm,” his eyes darted around the room shyly. “The naturals… they speak _English_. Did we know that the naturals speak English?”  
  
He was taken aback by her sudden giggles.  
  
“They don’t, Alexander,” she spoke in between her chuckles. She looked back down to Callie, who just watched the two of them with amusement shining in her eyes.  
  
“Just this one. She’s special,” she said winking at the raven haired woman.  
  
Callie was floating somewhere up in the skies, anymore excitement and she was sure to pass out.  
  
Alexander studied the two women warily. The night had been odd enough, and this day seemed to carry on in a similar fashion. Deciding to leave the pair be, he silently slipped out through the room and closed the door.  
  
As Ari continued to fret over her dressing, Callie finally had a chance to study the other woman’s guise. She appeared to be severely starved again, the shoulders of her dress hung loosely over bruised, thin arms and even in the dimly lit room could she make out the dark bags that hung heavily under her beautiful eyes. It frightened her.  
  
“It looks well,” Ari said, removing the tissues tied around her head. “You have to have someone remove the stitches in a couple of days, but I don’t believe that it looks irritated.” She sat back, looking seriously at the woman again. “You scared me, I never want to see you like this again.”  
  
Callie’s eyes travelled down the woman’s fragile form, neither did she.  
  
“Ari, return with me.”  
  
Her gaze followed the dark eyes down her body, understanding her request.  
  
“I can’t.”  
  
Callie frowned, how could she show such great concern for her health when she herself, was slowly withering away.  
  
“How will you survive the season’s winds, Ari?” she asked angrily. “The cold cover of this land will kill you!”  
  
The blonde didn’t answer.  
  
“You can come live with us, we have food and shelter,” she pleaded.  
  
“I cannot leave, Calliope,” she insisted, shaking her head. Callie used to find her stubbornness endearing, now she only found it infuriating.  
  
“Why?” she pressed impatiently, rising slowly to sit closer to the blonde on the mattress.  
  
But the fair headed woman simply shook her head repeatedly and lifted her damp eyes away from hers to the roof of the hut.  
  
Rasping coughs from the room next door broke their silence. The blonde tensed as Alexander appeared again at the door, blushing slightly at the sight of their nearness.  
  
“I’ll uh… tend to him, my lady,” he said, averting his eyes. “You stay with the lady.”  
  
As he closed the door again Callie turned the fair head back towards her own as she moved her hand through her hair, caressing the nape of her neck gently, searching her somber features.  
  
“Is that Timothy?” she asked carefully.  
  
Ari choked on her words, unable to face the woman in front of her as her eyes watered.  
  
“What happened Ari?”  
  
“He’s… sick," a lone sob escaped her throat. "The men, they’re all so sick, Calliope,” her eyes finally met obsidian ones again, their anguish broke Callie’s heart.  
  
" _Winauk?_ " she asked softly.  
  
"I have tried, it doesn't work." Unable to carry her barriers the blonde broke down in quiet sobs, her shoulders shook as Callie pulled her closer, wrapping her in her strong arms. “I can’t leave him, he's too weak," she murmured against her shoulder.  
  
Callie let the smaller woman curl against her chest, holding her close as she wept quietly. She held her over Timothy’s angry coughs. Listened as they got worse. Listened to Alexander’s troubled voice as he tended to him, trying to sooth the other sibling. She listened as the coughs slowly subsided, and exhaled as she finally felt the smaller woman still in her embrace.  
  
“I'm scared, Calliope… I don't know how to do this alone,” she murmured into her chest.  
  
Her grip tightened around her as she combed her blonde locks soothingly. “You're not alone, Ari,” she whispered into the fine hair.  
  
Ari sniffled and brought her gaze up to search the warmth of the other woman’s dark eyes. They struck her, like they always did. The large round eyes held all the tenderness, compassion and love that she so desperately wanted.  
  
Clinging to their reassurance, she never wanted to let go.  
  
“You have me,” Callie added, holding her gaze.  
  
She was brave, so incredibly brave, and Ari wanted to be brave too.  
  
She filled her lungs slowly before she lifted her hand to Callie’s face hesitantly. Tracing her fingers over the crimson skin her eyes fell down to watch the woman’s full lips. Watching them as they kissed her tips with tender.  
  
Callie brought her own hands down from fair locks, grasping her cheek gently with one as the other came to rest over Ari's heart. Feeling the woman’s slow rise of her chest breathing deeply under her light touch.  
  
Ari trembled under her palm, bringing her gaze up to dark eyes again she let the deep velvety eyes pull her. Craning her neck she closed her eyes in the heat of the other woman, before sealing their distance. Finally capturing the other woman’s lips she'd so painfully longed for.  
  
She kissed her softly, tentatively, their skin barely touching. Still her heart fluttered wildly under palm of the other woman's hand. But as Callie pulled her in further, gripping fair hair eagerly, she fell deeper into the kiss. Tasting the fallen tears merged between their lips as she caressed them with growing desire, running her tongue over the woman’s plump lip.  
  
Callie groaned as she lifted the smaller woman hungrily into her lap, their actions turned desperate as their bodies finally touched. Running wanting hands down her back, she tugged the woman tightly against her chest and breathlessly captured the blonde’s searching tongue. Her body tingled as Ari moaned into the kiss. Smaller hands kneaded the base of her neck as she kept pushing them closer, leaning heavily against the brunette's embrace as she hovered over her. Her hands travelled down to long thighs, stroking them over the blonde’s dress urgently.  
  
Ari pulled back, panting, trying to still her growing desires that spread through her body like wildfire. She gazed down at the doe eyed beauty underneath her. Bringing her hands up to cup her face, she ran her thumbs gently over the smooth cheeks before she leaned in to bring her own lips back to lush ones. Kissing her delicately this time, letting her lips linger before drawing her head back.  
  
Callie searched her wordlessly before leaning back up to lock their lips again, unable to let go of the smaller woman as she ran her hands up her sides, smiling into their kiss as another whimper left the blonde.  
  
The sound of metal clatter from outside the hut broke their kiss. Ari swung her head quickly in its direction and listened intently. A low rumble from the waking men could be heard somewhere in the village.  
  
She turned back to Callie slowly to press her lips to her brow, remaining in their embrace she held on tighter. “You must leave, before they wake,” she said reluctantly, her voice breaking as she clung to the taller woman.  
  
Callie brought her head back to meet her eyes. “I will come back for you, Ari,” she promised.  
  
The blonde smiled sadly, meeting her lips again before letting her tears fall.  
  
  


***  
  
  


“I have shared all, Kìzis. The land is to them a misery, a death, a hell.”  
  
“They do not intend to leave, _nohsh_.”  
  
“Then they will fade away."  
  
"Let it go,” he pleaded as his daughter gripped his hands.  
  
“I can’t, _nohsh_. I can’t let go.”  
  
  


_Januray 1608_  
  
  


“Mr. Wittingham passed today. It was time. The scurvy was without mercy to him.”  
  
“They say he stored flasks of rum under his mattress,” she chuckled softly at the thought. “I asked for Alexander to fetch some for you.”  
  
She patted his forehead gently with the wet cloth, under the material, she knew his skin was burning alarmingly. Like it had been for weeks.  
  
“We can drink it once you’re well, Brother.”  
  
He didn’t answer, his features perfectly still. Peaceful. If it wasn’t for the greyness of his skin she could’ve pretended him to be asleep.  
  
But he wasn’t simply asleep. And he wasn’t peaceful either, she knew, as he twisted and groaned under dry coughs in his bed from the infection. He was slipping, she knew.  
  
"He's probably dancing now, don't you think? Dancing in the skies?" she asked the unconscious man.  
  
"He always enjoyed dancing," she added sadly.  
  
"And I can see how it's tempting to follow him,” she continued, wiping a stray tear from her chin. “But please don't follow him, Brother. I'll miss you too much," she spoke quietly, searching his features for any kind of confirmation. Showing her that he would stay, and fight, for her.  
  
Grunting in frustration as he failed to respond her, she placed the cloth to rest on his forehead, and slowly climbed down to lie next to her brother, snuggling closely to him on his burning chest.  
  
She was tired, exhausted, her bleak body felt heavy in the chilled hut. She almost regretted not allowing Alexander to step out into the snow earlier, their fireplace now empty of logs.  
  
Just as she let her eyelids fluttered shut, she heard the front door open hastily as Alexander rushed into her brother’s room, slight flakes of snow covering his coat.  
  
She looked up at him in question, his rapid breath clearly visible in the cold air.  
  
“My lady, the naturals,” he said breathlessly, “hundreds of them.”  
  
“What?” she asked, as she rose slowly in the bed.  
  
“They’ve come for us, my lady,” he spoke frantically.  
  
Ari only stared at him vacantly, failing to believe his hurried words.  
  
“Your friend is here, Arminell, you have to come,” he added when Ari didn’t respond him.  
  
At the mention of Callie she rose quickly and hurried out after him.  
  
Stepping out to the ragged village she saw them. Hundreds of men and women, streaming in through the gates.  
  
Covered in thick layers of animal hides and pelts, they walked cautiously through the falling snow. The hunters bore heavy poles, horned animals hanging between their shoulders, others carried woven baskets of dried harvest, almost too full to carry. Together they bore enough food to feed the entire village for months.  
  
The settlers stood back, watching them silently with open mouths as they let the tribe approach them purposefully.  
  
Ari felt a single tear fall as she found Callie walking along the men, her hopeful smile warming her heart. She looked like an illusion, stepping slowly through the tumbling flakes. Never had Ari been met by a more beautiful vision, and she was certain that she never would.  
  
Her heart sang. Loudly, clearly. With love. And it didn't frighten her anymore.  
  
She knew her heart.  
  
Next to the radiating woman, the rest of the clan walked up to place their gifts in the hands of the stunned Englishmen. “ _Mìdjin, mìdjin,_ ” they echoed as they handed the food over to the white men, patting their shoulders when they hungrily started eating what they could.  
  
“May God be with you.”  
  
“Thank you, thank you, thank you.”  
  
The starved men flocked hastily over the bounties, young as old, noblemen as servants. Some fell to the feet of the strangers, praising their kindness.  
  
“God bless.”  
  
“Thank you kindly.”  
  
Ari tilted her head at the raven haired woman of her heart as she neared her, it swelled with unmeasured gratitude and affection for the taller woman. “Don’t. You don’t have to do anything else for us…” she uttered and shook her head as Callie secured her in the wooly pelt that had been hung over her body.  
  
“Shh,” she hushed and folded her frozen hands into her own to bring them up to her lips, blowing warm air into their enclosed hands as she rubbed them gently.  
  
Ari closed her eyes as she leaned into the shelter of the taller woman.  
  
_Rise again, rob the sleepless night of these savage clouds._  
  
“Ari, this is Powaw,” Callie spoke softly into golden hair.  
  
_Tame the winter’s passing in your fair light._  
  
Ari opened her eyes slowly again to see a man standing just behind them, watching the pair in silence, his wrinkled features studied her intently.  
  
_Return in full colour and paint your grace, in the dark shadows of the wind._  
  
“He will help your brother.”  
  
_The sun. My love.  
  
Bring me the fair weather back._  
  



End file.
